James: "Want to go for a Sunday drive?" Emily: "Let's go!"

This time of year we are always itching to go somewhere, anywhere. After dinner we loaded up the kids to go for a little drive up the mountains to the east of our home. There is a lake up there our kids love and we wanted to see how much snow was still on the roads and if they were passable yet. We're ready for s'mores! Doesn't that sound like a pleasant Sunday evening?

This drive involves many twists and turns. I was feeling good about my mothering self as my kids listened to a book on tape while they watched the scenery. Everyone was pleasant and quiet. I was relishing the moment. The only small commotion was Nate complaining about needing to 'pook', but he was smiling the entire time so I didn't take him seriously. We made it about 3/4ths of the way up the mountain before hitting snow drifts, turned around, made our way back down and then all of the sudden ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE...James turned to look at Mark and saw 'the look' and asked him if he was feeling well. Mark is prone to car sickness, but stated that he was doing fine. Not 2 seconds later every last bit of rice and broccoli he had for dinner came shooting out of his mouth. Needless to say, choice words started flying. It was James not me I promise. Mark then started crying and Livvy started griping about the smell. The van did smell delicious let me tell you. I wish I had smell-o-vision so you could all enjoy the sweet aroma of undigested dinner. As we were all remarking about the disgusting smell and Mark was bemoaning his fate, Nate gasped, "Me too!" and up came his dinner as well. By this point in time the only thing one can do is laugh and laugh and take some pathetic pictures. Ah! The joys of parenthood. You have not truly experienced it until you clean up not one, but TWO pukey boys. BTW-rice and broccoli don't just rub, scrape or scrub off. They cause one to have to go the extra mile to rid them of their yummy evidence. So much for a pleasant Sunday drive.

There is a silver lining to it all though...our landlord is a car dealer and his detail shop is right directly in our backyard. We called him to ask for puke tips and he showed up, opened up his shop, helped strip the van down to nothing and our car has now been detailed top to bottom. I'm guessing it's so clean James is going to make the kids put on booties before they can get in the van now.